- APNIC emphasised collaboration and capacity-building during AFNOG 2 and AFSIG 2024.
- Experts discussed Internet governance, infrastructure, and cybersecurity challenges to bridge the digital divide in the region.
What happened: AFNOG 2 highlights Internet growth and collaboration
From 7 to 10 December 2024, AFNOG 2, held alongside AFSIG 2024, IGFA 2024, and yIGFA 2024, brought together 48 local and international professionals to address key topics such as Internet operations, regional peering, DNS security, and governance.
The online event included welcome addresses by Jia Rong Low and Raj Singh, who stressed resilience, connectivity, and community participation in Afghanistan’s Internet growth. A panel discussion led by Md. Zobair Khan focused on enhancing regional Internet traffic and peering, advocating for stronger national infrastructure.
Omar Ansari delivered the closing remarks at both AFNOG and IGFA, reflecting on the achievements of the community-driven initiatives. His speeches emphasised institutionalising AFNOG through collaborative frameworks to ensure sustainability.
Joyce Chen’s presentation at AFSIG 2024 highlighted the Internet governance ecosystem’s role, while Subha Shamarukh discussed the pivotal IPv6 transition led by regional Internet registries (RIRs). Adli Wahid’s cybersecurity presentation underscored critical Internet protocol vulnerabilities and called for proactive measures.
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Why it’s important
APNIC‘s involvement in AFNOG 2 and AFSIG 2024 underscores the organisation’s commitment to fostering inclusive digital ecosystems in Afghanistan. By addressing key technical challenges like transit, peering, and cybersecurity, the forums provided a collaborative platform for stakeholders to drive innovation and promote sustainable development.
Discussions on resilience, governance, and IPv6 readiness reflect the pressing need to address infrastructure gaps in underserved communities.
The multi-stakeholder approach championed by Omar Ansari is crucial to overcoming systemic barriers in Internet governance, especially in post-conflict zones like Afghanistan. APNIC’s continued focus on capacity-building and regional collaboration will play a pivotal role in empowering local network operators.
This focus ensures that digital policies are shaped not only by global standards but also by the unique needs of the Afghan digital landscape.
